SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 194

WHEREAS, Residents of San Patricio County are gathering in Austin on February 15, 2017, to celebrate San Patricio County Day at the State Capitol; and

WHEREAS, Situated on the broad coastal plain along the Gulf of Mexico, this region was originally inhabited by the Karankawa Indians; less than 30 years after Columbus came to America, a European explorer sailed into the bay behind Aransas Pass, and over the next 200 years, the territory was visited by Spanish and French explorers and Mexican sheepherders; and

WHEREAS, In 1829, 200 Irish families from New York formed a colony under a contract with the government of Mexico and founded the town of San Patricio de Hibernia, named after Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland; the town was the site of a battle during the Texas Revolution in 1836, and later that same year, San Patricio County was created by the new Republic of Texas; and

WHEREAS, By 1860, San Patricio County was occupied by ranchers and farmers, and during the Civil War, a Confederate fort was built at Aransas Pass to deal with smugglers, rustlers, and Federal raiders; the county's economy was boosted in 1885 when the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway was extended to Aransas Harbor; the town of Sinton, named after an Ohio banker who had invested in the area's development, was designated as the county seat in 1893; and

WHEREAS, Oil and gas were discovered in the county in the early 20th century, and the petroleum industry and agriculture continue to be the foundation of the economy; cotton, sorghum, and cattle are all major products, along with shrimp from the commercial fisheries along the coast; the deepwater port at Aransas Pass is easily accessible to northern markets by rail, highway, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway; and

WHEREAS, Today, the people of San Patricio County enjoy a relaxed rural lifestyle while taking advantage of their proximity to the urban amenities of Corpus Christi; hunters, birders, kayakers, snorkelers, and devotees of sport fishing travel to the county for its many opportunities for recreation; the county is also home to the Welder Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest privately endowed refuges in the world; and

WHEREAS, Celebrating their colorful past even as they work to build a bright future, those Texans who call San Patricio County home may indeed take great pride in the important role their unique region plays in the story of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby recognize February 15, 2017, as San Patricio County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable stay in Austin. Zaffirini

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 15, 2017.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate